Luiz Oliveira

Thanks for your message. Actually, I use a sticky pad (that thing used for placing a cell phone on a car dashboard) right on the sled. Not only it is thin, soft and rubbery which also prevents camera shift I still have vibration. I consider the pilot a low end steadicam, period. As I said before, I had a Glidecam smooth shooter, the V-20 and the X-10. Never a vibration problem, even shooting with a huge fujinon lens, any camera type, setup and configuration, without any lens holder, even with a LETUS 35mm on with a follow focus. The vibration I guess is coming from the lower arm spring (the one next to the vest, not the sled)

Hi Erik, If you use a quick release (assuming you do) that will also cause vibration because only that will touch the sled's stage. I believe that the problem with the pilot is that the stage is not flat completely. It has that curve design on the sides instead of being a big, flat base. If you screw the camera on the side holes from the stage, the camera bottom will not be touching the stage completely, sticking out "in the air" as you probably already know. That's the only thing I can think of what causes such unpleasant vibration no matter what you do. The more square inches the camera's base can touch the stage plate, the better. not too long ago, I had a Glidecam a X-10 (pilot size) and a V-20 (for big cameras)featuring a huge stage plate on the sled. I used a quick release...VIBRATION. Took it off having the whole camera bottom touching the stage. No vibration even with all kinds of accessories on it, including a follow focus and a mattebox. I have my sled as heavy as the Pilot allows and it shoudn't vibrate when having a heavy load. I tried both. Heavy load and camera only. Doesn't matter. The arm tension is correct and so is the vest settings. I have been doing this for 6 1/2 years and I owned 4 rigs to compare. I bought this Pilot several months ago and because of the undesired results, I only used it 3 times, 1 hour only and put it away, not to mention the near 4K I spent that just sits on my studio inside the bag... FRUSTRADED? Tell me about it. This is my 4rh rig I own... - The Smooth shooter Glidecam has a strong arm (stronger than the Pilot) but the 4000 Pro sled sucks. Sold it. - The V-20 was great but it was too heavy and the bulky arm gets in the way. Sold it. - The X-10 (my 3rd) strong arm, same problem with the Smooth Shooter. The sled is the 4000 Pro. Sold it - Pilot sophisticated sled with power supply and video wiring, adjustable gymbal, but the plate design is bad and the arms are too weak. To be sold??... As you can see, there was a lot of selling and buying rigs which I lose money. Do I really have to buy the Steadicam ULTRA II?

Here it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYAJtRS-og4

The vibration I'm getting is not with the Merlin. It's with the PILOT. The arm is sending vibration to the sled just like your merlin. The springs from the pilot arm in my opinion are a bit weak. And to get the load capacity I need I would have to upgrade to the next Steadicam model which is thousands of dollars more. The Glidecam X-10 which is almost the same cost as the Steadicam Pilot can handle a very heavy load including a $$$$ CRT green screen monitor I have which is far superior especially when filming outdoors. The only down side from Glidecam is that 4000 pro slead which you can't move the gimgal up and down for a new CG. It's fixed and that doesn't work for my professional needs. The Pilot's slead is far superior of course but the arm is WEAK, especially the lower part of the arm. A Sony Z1-U alone maxes out the lower spring...And that's the same camera shown in the Pilot user's manual!

Definitely something from the arm. By the way, you did an excellent work. it almost looked like you were on a Segway designed for the steadicam. Veri nice! What a GREAT forum! Everyone here is awesome. Thanks for everyone's help!

Video upload will happen soon. Thanks.

The vibration is mechanic.

Not only did I already do what you suggested, I even have a Sticky pad between the plate and the camera which prevents the camera to rotate off place without the need to add those pins which are not convenient for me as I change cameras often and as you know, they go into different holes. If you didn't try this awesome rubbery sticky pad (dashboard cell phone holder) I suggest that you try it. You will never use it without it. This idea came from a friend of mine who operates the ultra II Steadicam. On my early steadycam days, i tried using a quick release and it caused vibration. I removed it immediately, attatched the camera straight to the plate and it stopped. I guess I have to agree with you that the problem might be from the stage part but the arm is sending the sled shocks somehow even on the tip of my toes I still see it. I will be posting a footage here soon so you can see what's going on.

That was nice! Very smooth and straight. What else did you have loaded to your rig? Just the camera?

Thank you all for caring about my problem. I appreciate. The vibration, I assure you that is not electronic. It's coming from the arm. Again, I'm going to my 6th year of Steadicam and I use it a lot. Everything is tight and extremely well balanced. I also walk with the Steadicam almost floating my feet, as gently as possible. I have the ability of shooting a subject at max zomm 99 keeping the subject dead center on the screen marker when going in a circle around it over and over. I also shoot straight like a dolly on track just like seen in the movies without that "wave" effect as I see many people doing it. The springs from the pilot are in my opinion too weak. Shooting with the Sony Z1U (the very one they use in its manual)the arm (close to the vest) is already maxed out. The Glidecam X-10 arm can support a huge load and still have capacity for more stuff. The only rig that I did not experience vibration was the Glidecam Smooth Shooter (my very first rig). That one gave me zero vibration. With the rest, I have vibration. It is very minimal but it is there to annoy any professional eye. On bare concrete there is no vibration but on pavement there is...What the hell? With such experience with Steadicam, I almost feel like giving up what am I doing wrong now that somehow was right when i got my first rig...

That option is UNAVAILABLE! I spent 1 hour on my profile, control panel , settings etc. trying to edit my user name. Please help me do that or delete my account.

I have been a Steadicam operator since 2004 and I owned / rented / operated stabilizers from Glidecam 4000 pro all the way to the Steadicam Archer. I honestly don't know what's causing this extremely undesirable vibration. I strongly believe this problem has to do with the camera type, brand and design being used. And the load of course. Funny... Usually this happens on reverse, not when you are an experienced user: The very first time I ever tried a stabilizer was with a Glidecam Smooth Shooter with a Panasonic DVX100B. NO VIBRATION. Even fully loaded with camera, hard drive, light, monitor, wireless receiver and even a follow focus. No vibration with the camera alone as well. I could run really fast and result: Vibration free footage. Canon XL-2 caused a slight vibration on the very same rig though. For either camera, same setup above, I also discovered that vibration occurred using a quick release (even the expensive ones) I removed it and the vibration is gone. Therefore, I haven't use a Q.Release since. NOW, I owned and used the following stabilizers: A Glidecam V-20, Glidecam X-10. Cameras that were used with the rigs above: Panasonic DVX100B, Canon XL-2, Canon XH-A1, Canon XL-H1, Sony HVR Z-1u HVR Z-7U. VIBRATION occurs when running and EVEN when walking! Just the camera itself or fully loaded. Doesn't matter. I currently own a STEADICAM PILOT loaded with the Z-1 and the Z-7. Vibration AGAIN occurs no matter what. Different stabilizer brand and still happens. Vibration decreases when walking on a soft surface such as carpet. On pavement, basketball court, wedding dance floor, forget about it... This vibration is very slight but it is unnacceptable! Now, whatever I do, I experience such vibration, enough to make me very upset and think twice before I use my rig that I know it will let me down. Can somebody please help me with this?? This is frustrating and the footage is less than I consider perfet as a professional videographer. What Am I doing wrong?! The arm levels, vest and slead and all setting are correct. I'm not a beginner user and I can dynamic balance a sled fully loaded to perfection, before you finish a cigarrette. Strangely, the first time I ever used a stabilizer, as a beginner back in 2004, the footage was flawless, vibtarion free no matter what I loaded to it... Anybody with same problems I'm having with vibration?